Wire-stretcher.



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J. JOHNSON. WIRE STRETCHEB. AIPLIUI'IUI FILED JAR. 21, 1908.

Patented Nov. 3, 1908.

anuuxtoz m25?" am@ JAMES JOHNSON, F HACKETT, PENNSYLVANIA.

WIRE-srnnrcrmn.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov: 3, 1908.

i Application led January 21, 1908. Serial No.`411,881.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES JonNsoN, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Hackett, in the county of VVasln ington and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful In'iprovements in WVire-Stretchers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This iInvention re ates to a' wire stretcher,

and the object of my invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive device for easily and quickly stretching a wire.

My invention aims to provide a device wherein positive and reliable means are empl ed for stretchin a wire or drawing the en s of two ieces o wire together whereby 'a splice can e easily and quickly made. In

this connection my device is intended for stretching the wires of a wire fence, trolley Wires, gulde wires, and such wires that are stretched before they are placed in use. To this end, I have" devised a hook-shaped rack adapted to be connected to one end of a wire. The rack is movably mounted in a suitable housing wher'ein a combined pinion and ratchet wheel is located and adapted to be operated by a lever to move the rack. The housing is connected to the opposite end of the wire or to the end of another wire as `the case may demand.

The detail construction entering into my invention r-will bev presently described and tllien specifically pointed out in the appended c aim. v Referrin to the drawings: Fiuure 1 is an elevation of my wire stretching device, Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same, partly in elevation, Fie. 3 is a cross sectional view of the device talien on the line :if-m of Fig. 2, Fig. 4 is a pers ective View of a housing formlng a part o this device, and Fig. 5 is a pers ective view of a portion of a channel-Shaper. rack used in connection with the device.

To put my invention into practice, I construct Iny wire stretching device of an inverted channel-shaped housing 1 having depending piercedlugs 2 in which is mounted. a. shaft 3. Upon the shaft within the housing 1 is journaled a toothed wheel, sci-vin functionally as a pinion or ratchet whecli Loosely mounted upon the outer ends of the shaft 3 is a bifurcated end 5 of an o erating lever 6. In the hifnrcated end 5 o the operating lever 6 is/pivotally mounted a pawl 7 normally held in engagement with the toothed wheel`4 by a spring 8.

Slidably mounted in thehousingl above the toothed wheel 4 is a channel-shaped rack 9, meshing with said toothed wheel, and having a hook-shaped end 10 adapted to be connected to the end cfa wirell. In the hous ing 1 is pivotally mounted a spring ressed 4dog 12 adapted to engage the toothe wheel 4, and a hook 13 adapted to be connected to the end of a wire 14. After the hooks 10 and 13 have been connected to the ends of thewires 11 and 14 respectively, it is only necessary to oscillate the operatin lever 6 to impart movement to the toothe wheel 4 and cause the rack to be moved in the housing 1, to bring the ends of the wires 4 and 14 in close proximity to one another. The spring pressed dog 19. prevents a rearward movement of the toothed wheel 4, after it has been moved in one direction by the operating lever 6.

It will thus be observed that I have devised a novel ratchet mechanism, which serves functionally for moving the rack, and

as to the manner of securing the wires 14 and 11 together, I do not care to confine myself in this particular.

The Wire stretching device in its entirety is constructed of strong and durable metal, afidl reserve the right to make such structurall changes as are`per1nissible by the appended claim. A 'r Having now described my invention what I claim as new, is :w

A wire stretcher comprising an inverted U-'shaped housing having one end cut away, and its open side provided with apertured offsets near said cutaway end, a shaft mounted in said offsets and of greater length than thc width of the housin whereby said shaft projects from each of tie offsets, a toothed wheel connected to said shaft and positioned between the vertical walls of the housing, a bifurcated lever loosely mounted on the ends of said shaft and straddlin said housing, a pawl mounted within sa? lever near one end of the furcation and ada ted to engage said toothed wheel when the ever is oscillnted thereby intermittently rotating the wheel, a coil spring arranged within the furoution und connected at one end to the lever and at its other end to said pawl. a channel shaped bar slidably mounted in said housing against thc tloscd side wall thereof and having its lower face provided with teeth adapted to he engaged b said toothed i and a hook having itsshfank secured between Wheel whereby the hat' e Shi tedwhen the the vertical walls of the housing and ndapt- 'wheel is actuated, one end of Said bar proed to engage the end of another wire, subvided with a hook adapted to donnent the stantially as described.

5 wire, u dog pivotally mounted Within and In testimony whereof I Vaiix my signature 15 projectin from said housing and engaging in the presence of two' witnesses.

said toot xed wheel to prevent back rotation J AMES JOHNSON. thereof, a coil spring arran ed within the Witnesses: housing and having one en connected to JOHN Lussm,

10 the housing and its other end to said dog l WILLIAM 'J LAWRENCE. 

